All Chapters of Called a Gold Digger, I Returned Everything: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

After leaving the private room at the clubhouse, I went straight to the mall where I had bought the watch.The sales associate recognized me immediately.Barely 30 minutes ago, I had beamed as she handed me the gift box.Now, with the ribbon still tied, I was asking her to process a return."Ma'am, since the case back is custom-engraved, we can only buy it back at a discounted price.""How much can I get back?" I asked."4,200 dollars."It was a 6,000-dollar watch, funded by six months of my hard-earned savings.Just like that, I was throwing away nearly 2,000 dollars.I gave a nod. "Do it."As the sales associate took the box, Miriam Briggs' condescending chuckle echoed behind me. "See? What did I tell you? I knew she'd return it."My boyfriend, Carl Humphry, and the rest of the crew from the private room had followed me down.They hovered outside the store like spectators at a circus.One of his friends pulled out a phone and snapped a picture of the receipt."Spends 6,

Chapter 2

The next morning, I started packing.Three years of my life ended up fitting into just two suitcases.I had just zipped the last bag shut when the front door swung open.Carl walked in, with Miriam right at his side. The same crowd that had mocked me last night was tagging along.They stepped inside without a hint of remorse. Instead, they gathered around my luggage to pass judgment."Look at that. Reyna actually packed.""Well, you've gotta put on a full show, right? Even if those bags are empty.""I bet she'll unpack everything by tonight.""Tonight? That's too generous. I give her three hours."Miriam held up a single finger. "One hour. The second Carl offers to give her this place, she won't go anywhere."Someone gave her a thumbs-up. "Leave it to Miriam to read her mind!""She knows how gold diggers think because she used to play the game herself."The group burst into laughter.I crouched and slipped my ID and passport into the inner zipper of my suitcase.Carl stoo

Chapter 3

That evening, Miriam added me to a group chat. The group was named "How Long Can the Gold Digger Last".There were over 20 people in it. All of them were Carl's friends.The moment I joined, the chat was flooded with messages."I bet she'll apologize before midnight.""Midnight is way too long. A poor woman like her won't risk losing her golden ticket.""My money's on her begging Carl for forgiveness outside his office.""Loser buys supper for a month."Miriam sent a voice note. "You guys give her way too much credit. She's definitely sitting at home right now, waiting for Carl to come back. Packing bags, canceling the wedding, and returning gifts are straight out of the playing-hard-to-get playbook."People who actually want to leave don't make such a dramatic fuss. She just wants everyone to know because she's desperate for Carl to chase after her."Someone asked her why she was so sure.Miriam snickered. "How many times do I have to tell you? I used to play this game. A pe

Chapter 4

Before leaving to the airport, I scheduled a courier to deliver the remaining boxes straight to the clubhouse where Carl was.Half an hour later, someone posted an unboxing video in a group chat.Inside were the scarves, plushies, keychains, and handwritten cards Carl had given me over the three years we were together.At the very bottom lay a printed itemized ledger.I had meticulously logged every single expense Carl had paid for—meals, trips, and our shared rent.After my share was deducted, the remaining balance came to 11,360 dollars.I wired the exact amount to his account.In the video, one of his friends picked up the ledger and slapped his knee as he burst into laughter."What is this? Is she settling her service fee?""Only 11 grand for three years? Reyna must feel totally ripped off!""It's no wonder she canceled the wedding and packed her bags. She's just trying to shake Carl down for more money."Another guy dangled the worn-out scarf from his fingertips."Send

Chapter 5

Carl stared at my signature on the contract, frozen for a long moment.Miriam reached out to snatch it away. "Alright. Drop it already. Reyna's doing this on purpose."Carl kept his hand clamped over the paper as he looked up. "What do you mean?""She's flying out on purpose! International flights usually require a layover, so she's probably waiting at a transit airport right now."Miriam crossed her arms, her tone brimming with certainty. "She knows this contract will make you panic. The moment you run after her, she wins. Honestly, this is much smarter than canceling the wedding."The crowd chimed in right on cue."Miriam's right. Who actually accepts a three-year overseas gig on a whim? What about her family?""Hold your ground, Carl. Whoever folds first loses."Carl stayed silent and glanced at his phone.My flight had taken off two hours ago.A new betting pool opened up in the group chat. Some wagered that I would catch a flight back during my layover. Others bet that I

Chapter 6

By the time I landed, it was late afternoon local time.The driver sent by the company was already waiting outside the terminal.My coworker helped load my bags into the trunk. Smiling, he said, "You must be exhausted from the long flight.""I'm alright.""Mr. Adkins mentioned you turned down this overseas post twice before. What made you change your mind this time?"I looked out the window.The streets and buildings were unfamiliar, and even the breeze blowing in felt hot."The thing I couldn't let go of is gone, so it was an easy choice."On the drive to the office, my phone, now fitted with a new SIM card, chimed with an incoming call.The caller ID displayed an international number from home.Assuming it was a delivery driver, I picked up.Silence hung on the line for a few agonizing seconds. Then Carl spoke. "Have you landed?""Yes.""When are you coming back?"A bitter laugh almost escaped me.He didn't ask if I was okay or if the journey had gone smoothly. He simp

Chapter 7

I had already packed my bags back then.Yet, Carl had simply tossed out a single line, "If you leave, don't expect me to wait around."The very next day, I went to the office to withdraw my application.And all this time, he genuinely believed I had refused the transfer because I couldn't bear to leave the cozy lifestyle he provided.Carl slammed both application forms onto the table. "Did any of you know about this?"Silence filled the room.A few guys picked up their drinks, pretending not to hear.Miriam glanced down, utterly unbothered. "She gave up of her own accord. Nobody forced her. What, is that supposed to be on you now?""And you don't know why she gave up?" Carl asked, his voice icy."How should I know? It's not like she told me."Carl stared her down. "The first time she applied to leave, who called her and said I was hospitalized with a stomach bleed?"Miriam's expression shifted slightly. "I did. But you were in the hospital.""I had my stomach pumped because

Chapter 8

Carl squeezed his phone tightly as his throat bobbed. "I looked into the watch.""I see," I replied flatly."You saved up for six months.""And?"Carl sounded taken aback by my flat tone. "I didn't know at the time.""You didn't know, or you just never cared to find out?"Silence fell over the line.I stood in the corridor of the project office, watching the sun dip below the horizon in the distance."Carl, the sales associate was right next to us, and the receipt was right in my hands. All you had to do was ask a single question. Miriam called me a gold digger, and you bought it without a second thought."Carl denied it, saying, "No, I was simply swayed by her.""Did she sway you the first time, too?" I asked softly."She lied and said you were in a car crash. You lay in that ward, watching me sob while you laughed along with them. The second time, my mom was hospitalized with a high fever."I rode a train for five hours to get back, and once again, you just stood there la

Chapter 9

After being kicked out of the clubhouse, Miriam immediately posted a lengthy essay on her Instagram.She claimed she had only been looking out for a close friend, insisting that everyone else had joined in on the jokes and that Carl was now putting all the blame on her just to win his girlfriend back.She even attached a teary-eyed selfie with the caption, "I've done all I could as a guy's best girl friend."Yet, the crowd that used to constantly kiss up to her stayed dead silent because Carl had leaked the entire group chat history.Every single "test" had been initiated by Miriam.Every time someone questioned if they were taking things too far, she was the one claiming I was just putting on a show.Even her declaration—"If she actually has the guts to walk, I'll apologize to her in public"—was screenshotted and pinned right in the chat.Someone left a comment below. "So, where's the apology?"Miriam deleted the comment within seconds.Right after, another friend shared a se

Chapter 10

Carl's hand froze in midair as he said, "I can change."I retorted, "You said that before."After the first fake car crash, he had held me close, promising he'd never join in on their antics again.The second time, he told me Miriam just had a big mouth and meant no harm.At the mall, he insisted he had only been a bit harsh and handed me his bank card to buy whatever I wanted.Every single time, he believed the flaw lay in his delivery. He never realized that the real issue was that he had never trusted me from the start."I'll issue a public statement," Carl muttered under his breath. "I'll let everyone know you're not a gold digger.""I don't need that," I replied calmly."I can stay here with you.""Don't need that either.""Then what do you want me to do?" His composure finally cracked, his voice rising before he forced it back down."Just tell me. I'll do whatever you ask."I looked him dead in the eye. "I told you many times before."I had told him that those jokes

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP